Sol Can’t Bear To Watch as Gunners Crash 3-2
14 comments February 2nd, 2006
Conceding three goals at home really isn’t on. However, they can all be pinned down to individual mistakes, the first two of which were both by Sol Campbell.
First his half-hearted attempt at a clearance allowed Nigel Reo-Coker to run clear and goal and fire through Jens Lehmann’s legs. Then he was out-fought by Bobby Zamora, who calmly planted the ball into the top corner in the manner of Mark Viduka’s heart-breaking goal for Leeds back in 2003.
Henry toe-poked a record breaking 151st League Goal (his 200th for the club) to put us back in it, before half-time, which is when the biggest controversy of the evening took place.
Sol Campbell was substituted for midfielder Sebastian Larsson. There was no injury. Sol was withdrawn because his performance was simply unacceptable. He left the ground without watching the second half.
Whilst many have assumed that Campbell left the ground in an act of defiance, Wenger suggests otherwise:
“You always want your players to stay, but there are exceptional circumstances so you can understand what he did. He did not do it meaning disrespect to the Club or to the team. I feel he is very, very down.”
Personally, I’m with goodplaya when he says:
“While some may seek to crucify him for walking out of the ground, Iâ??m prepared to believe he did it because he does care about his performances rather than because he doesnâ??t care. Iâ??d hope that Arsenal fans will have the intelligence to get behind him now. After all, a Sol Campbell rehabilitated is far better than one crucified and broken.”
Lauren is potentially out for the season. Kerrea Gilbert twisted his back and had to come off. Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue are still away, with Cygan and Cole both yet to return. Signing up Martin Keown has become a genuine possibility. Last night we finished with a back four of Flamini – Djourou – Senderos – Larsson. Two midfielders and an average age of twenty. If ever we needed to get behind Sol in an effort to bring back the Campbell of old, it is now.
Whilst Larsson did OK at left-back, it was his slip which allowed substitute Shaun Newton to break away and cross for ex-spurs Matt Etherington to put home a third. It was 3-1, and game over. Pires stabbed how a late consolation, but the game was over.
We hadn’t played that badly. Djourou looked commanding at centre-half, Diaby was excellent for the 70 minutes he played, and Robin van Persie showed flashes of brilliance. But defensively, Sol in particular, it just was not good enough.
With Birmingham on Saturday, it’s becoming hard to find enough players to make up a back four.
These are testing times. Fortunately Theo Walcott will soon come and save us.
Definitely.
